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The Age of Darkness #1
There Will Come a Darkness
The Age of Darkness approaches.
Five lives stand in its way.
Who will stop it... or unleash it?
For generations, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars and united nations―until the day, one hundred years ago, when the Prophets disappeared.
All they left behind was one final, secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new Prophet who could be the world’s salvation . . . or the cause of its destruction. As chaos takes hold, five souls are set on a collision course:
A prince exiled from his kingdom.
A ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand.
A once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart.
A reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone.
And a dying girl on the verge of giving up.
One of them―or all of them―could break the world. Will they be savior or destroyer? Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Children of Blood and Bone, and An Ember in the Ashes.
Five lives stand in its way.
Who will stop it... or unleash it?
For generations, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars and united nations―until the day, one hundred years ago, when the Prophets disappeared.
All they left behind was one final, secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new Prophet who could be the world’s salvation . . . or the cause of its destruction. As chaos takes hold, five souls are set on a collision course:
A prince exiled from his kingdom.
A ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand.
A once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart.
A reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone.
And a dying girl on the verge of giving up.
One of them―or all of them―could break the world. Will they be savior or destroyer? Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Children of Blood and Bone, and An Ember in the Ashes.
496 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2019
About the author
Katy Rose Pool
5 books1,152 followersKaty is a writer living in Berkeley, California. She grew up in Los Angeles, where her screenwriter father taught her about three act structure, characterization, and inciting incidents all before she could tie her shoes. Katy studied history and English at UC Berkeley. She enjoys breakfast sandwiches, fancy cocktails, rooting for the Golden State Warriors, and books that set her on fire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,265 reviews
August 20, 2020
The prophecies, plot twists, and Greco-Roman inspired settings were cool, but I didn't find the characters to be compelling enough to be invested and there were a lot of info dumps that dragged the book. People who generally like a lot of fantasy YA books might enjoy this one though!
October 8, 2019
for those readers who love character driven novels, this is the book for you. yes, the plot has a rather important role, but its how the plot defines the characters and influences their choices that really makes this book wonderful. its always such a neat experience when you can see how several individuals are connected in a much bigger way.
and honestly, this book is a masterclass on how to write multiple POVs correctly. more often than not, when several main characters are present, all with their own POV/chapters, things can go downhill. the plot gets easily lost and confusing, some characters get better developed, others end up being unlikable, some POVs are slower paced and more boring than others, etc. the list can go on. but this is the first story where i love every character (especially jude, i will never not love a character named jude), there is no POV that is lacking, and each perspective helps the plot instead of hinders it.
it was a marvel to read how each of these characters lives impacts each others, intentionally or not. i anxiously awaited when their paths crossed and a much larger picture and purpose started to unfold. i was truly engaged every step of the way. yes, this is the first book in a series and yes, its mostly dedicated to world building and character development. but when its so exceptionally done, especially for a debut, i really dont mind that the plot takes a backseat.
i havent seen much hype for this book yet, so heres me telling you that these characters are worth every page.
↠ 4.5 stars
and honestly, this book is a masterclass on how to write multiple POVs correctly. more often than not, when several main characters are present, all with their own POV/chapters, things can go downhill. the plot gets easily lost and confusing, some characters get better developed, others end up being unlikable, some POVs are slower paced and more boring than others, etc. the list can go on. but this is the first story where i love every character (especially jude, i will never not love a character named jude), there is no POV that is lacking, and each perspective helps the plot instead of hinders it.
it was a marvel to read how each of these characters lives impacts each others, intentionally or not. i anxiously awaited when their paths crossed and a much larger picture and purpose started to unfold. i was truly engaged every step of the way. yes, this is the first book in a series and yes, its mostly dedicated to world building and character development. but when its so exceptionally done, especially for a debut, i really dont mind that the plot takes a backseat.
i havent seen much hype for this book yet, so heres me telling you that these characters are worth every page.
↠ 4.5 stars
November 21, 2019
FREAKING YES!!!! I FINALLY GOT ME A 5 STAR!!! I’M NOT YELLING! YOU’RE YELLING! WOOT!!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
June 5, 2020
This is a weird book. So much happened, and yet… nothing actually happened???
The way I see it, this book was a long introduction to a story that is yet to actually come.
It book follows five different POVs. Yes, FIVE. Five seemingly unconnected people with five different goals and five different plot lines.
At first, it was hard to care too much about any one character. It felt like we just kept jumping from POV to POV, from setting to setting. Just as you were getting into one story, you’d be thrown in the middle of someone else’s plotline.
This was made worse by the fact that Hassan got the most page time and he was probably my least favorite of the characters. It’s not that he was bad as a character, it’s that I didn’t like him all that much and I could totally see right through him. Anton on the other hand, my poor disaster baby, I really liked. Also Jude. I ship it already.
The character issue became less of a problem as I became acquainted with each of the characters and their roles in the story.
My main problem is, as I had mentioned, that this all felt like a drawn-out intro.
This is the book where the world and the characters are set up but where nothing much happens. We got introduced to all the major players and plotline and then are left hanging, waiting for the sequel.
The main villain, The Hierophant, is talked about constantly and yet we meet them in the last 15% of the novel for like two scenes in which they do nothing that lives up to all the talk we’ve heard of them. Even the prophecy that connects all the characters and drives the plot forward has no real bearing in this book. It’s just sort of there to serve as a plot device.
Even the characters are just sort of introduced. We only know the basics of them. We’ve yet to dive deep into their minds and see them as their truest selves.
Basically, this book was the preview, the trailer before we get to see the movie and actually see all of the pieces that were set up here play the game.
Still, in spite of all that I just said, I actually really enjoyed the story.
It was easy to read through. It was interesting and I liked seeing the prophecy sort of come together as the story went on. I did call a lot of the ‘plot’ twists’ but there were definitely a few that I didn’t see coming and I appreciate that.
The characters were all interesting, even Hassan that I didn’t love, and I can’t wait to read more about them and see how the prophecy unfolds.
This might have just been the introduction, but I am super excited to see what comes next in the sequel.
Also, just as a side note, I was a bit confused with the world-building. It had trains, but also it also read like the world was very ancient. I feel like with trains come other pieces of technology. Basically, I wasn’t quite sure what ‘time period’ this was modeled after if that makes any sense?
**ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!**
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The way I see it, this book was a long introduction to a story that is yet to actually come.
It book follows five different POVs. Yes, FIVE. Five seemingly unconnected people with five different goals and five different plot lines.
At first, it was hard to care too much about any one character. It felt like we just kept jumping from POV to POV, from setting to setting. Just as you were getting into one story, you’d be thrown in the middle of someone else’s plotline.
This was made worse by the fact that Hassan got the most page time and he was probably my least favorite of the characters. It’s not that he was bad as a character, it’s that I didn’t like him all that much and I could totally see right through him. Anton on the other hand, my poor disaster baby, I really liked. Also Jude. I ship it already.
The character issue became less of a problem as I became acquainted with each of the characters and their roles in the story.
My main problem is, as I had mentioned, that this all felt like a drawn-out intro.
This is the book where the world and the characters are set up but where nothing much happens. We got introduced to all the major players and plotline and then are left hanging, waiting for the sequel.
The main villain, The Hierophant, is talked about constantly and yet we meet them in the last 15% of the novel for like two scenes in which they do nothing that lives up to all the talk we’ve heard of them. Even the prophecy that connects all the characters and drives the plot forward has no real bearing in this book. It’s just sort of there to serve as a plot device.
Even the characters are just sort of introduced. We only know the basics of them. We’ve yet to dive deep into their minds and see them as their truest selves.
Basically, this book was the preview, the trailer before we get to see the movie and actually see all of the pieces that were set up here play the game.
Still, in spite of all that I just said, I actually really enjoyed the story.
It was easy to read through. It was interesting and I liked seeing the prophecy sort of come together as the story went on. I did call a lot of the ‘plot’ twists’ but there were definitely a few that I didn’t see coming and I appreciate that.
The characters were all interesting, even Hassan that I didn’t love, and I can’t wait to read more about them and see how the prophecy unfolds.
This might have just been the introduction, but I am super excited to see what comes next in the sequel.
Also, just as a side note, I was a bit confused with the world-building. It had trains, but also it also read like the world was very ancient. I feel like with trains come other pieces of technology. Basically, I wasn’t quite sure what ‘time period’ this was modeled after if that makes any sense?
**ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!**
Follow Me Here Too: My Blog || Twitter || Bloglovin' || Instagram || Tumblr || Pinterest
February 11, 2023
Loved this one just as much as I did the first time around. Brilliant debut!
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
August 11, 2019DNF at roughly 250 pages in.
This is an unfortunate situation as I REALLY was enjoying this book. I adored the diverse characters, the unique magic system, and the direction of the story. Sadly, in the middle of reading I had a lot going on in my personal life and couldn't focus on such a dense fantasy so I decided to put it down for now.
I'd love to pick it up again and continue when I'm in the right mood for a story like this because I do want to see it through to the end :)
I received a copy of this book for free from Macmillan. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.
This is an unfortunate situation as I REALLY was enjoying this book. I adored the diverse characters, the unique magic system, and the direction of the story. Sadly, in the middle of reading I had a lot going on in my personal life and couldn't focus on such a dense fantasy so I decided to put it down for now.
I'd love to pick it up again and continue when I'm in the right mood for a story like this because I do want to see it through to the end :)
I received a copy of this book for free from Macmillan. I had no obligation to read or review this book and all opinions are my own.
Want to read
January 29, 2020This cover is to die for!
June 13, 2020
I wrote this book! I love it! I hope that when you read it, you also love it!
You can read the first three chapters FOR FREE right here.
There's an incredible book trailer that you can watch right here: There Will Come a Darkness book trailer
You can find out more about the book here: http://therewillcomeadarkness.com and more about me on instagram and twitter
The sequel As the Shadow Rises is out September 1, 2020 and you can add it on goodreads:
-----------
I have a list of content warnings for this book on my website. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to reach out. Be safe!
You can read the first three chapters FOR FREE right here.
There's an incredible book trailer that you can watch right here: There Will Come a Darkness book trailer
You can find out more about the book here: http://therewillcomeadarkness.com and more about me on instagram and twitter
The sequel As the Shadow Rises is out September 1, 2020 and you can add it on goodreads:
-----------
I have a list of content warnings for this book on my website. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to reach out. Be safe!
May 6, 2021
⭐8/10⭐
Reseña en Tiktok!
Reseña en Tiktok!
May 27, 2021
”Those who cannot own their choices will always be mastered by fate”.
(2.5)
There Will Come a Darkness es un libro que nos sitúa en un mundo que, antaño, fue regido por Siete Profetas, pero que un día desaparecieron y sólo dejaron tras de sí el aviso de que pronto llegaría una Era de Oscuridad y que aparecería un último Profeta. En medio de esto, la historia nos presenta a cinco personajes muy diferentes: Hassan, un príncipe exiliado de una nación atacada por fanáticos; Ephyra, una mujer con un talento excepcional, pero que usa para matar personas… por una causa justa; Beru, una chica que siempre está al borde de la muerte; Anton, un chico cuya gracia lo atormenta y por eso huye de ella; y, finalmente, Jude, el líder del grupo que protegerá al Profeta cuando aparezca. Poco a poco, los caminos de estas cinco personas se van acercando y vamos entendiendo qué papel jugará cada uno en esta próxima Era de Oscuridad.
Y, planteado así, todo el libro suena genial. Y estoy de acuerdo con que tiene muchísimo potencial, pero, de nuevo, lo que falló para mí fue el ritmo. Me dio la sensación de que la autora utilizó el 70% de todo el libro como una gran introducción y dejó la verdadera acción para las últimas páginas. La verdad es que estoy un poco cansada de esta estrategia de dejar lo explosivo para el final. Y sí, a veces funciona que el final inesperado me dé ganas de leer el resto de la saga a pesar de lo aburrido que fue la mayoría del primer libro, pero creo que este no es el caso.
Es extraño, no tengo ninguna queja de ninguno de los personajes. Es más, me gustan. Pero siento que se pudieron haber aprovechado muchísimo más si sus caminos se hubieran cruzado mucho más rápido.
La gente me dijo que iba a encontrar “salseo” en este libro, pero la verdad es que no fue así. Es decir, sí, la autora da unas pequeñas pistas de una tensión romántica entre un par de personajes y, luego, entre otros dos, suceden unas pequeñas cosas. Pero debo confesar que (y no puedo creer que yo esté diciendo esto) el romance no me pegó para nada con la trama del libro. No lo sentí forzado, pero no hacía falta.
Y nada, las revelaciones del final son sorprendentes, pero no son suficientes como para que me anime a seguir con estos libros. Una pena. Thank you, next.
(2.5)
There Will Come a Darkness es un libro que nos sitúa en un mundo que, antaño, fue regido por Siete Profetas, pero que un día desaparecieron y sólo dejaron tras de sí el aviso de que pronto llegaría una Era de Oscuridad y que aparecería un último Profeta. En medio de esto, la historia nos presenta a cinco personajes muy diferentes: Hassan, un príncipe exiliado de una nación atacada por fanáticos; Ephyra, una mujer con un talento excepcional, pero que usa para matar personas… por una causa justa; Beru, una chica que siempre está al borde de la muerte; Anton, un chico cuya gracia lo atormenta y por eso huye de ella; y, finalmente, Jude, el líder del grupo que protegerá al Profeta cuando aparezca. Poco a poco, los caminos de estas cinco personas se van acercando y vamos entendiendo qué papel jugará cada uno en esta próxima Era de Oscuridad.
Y, planteado así, todo el libro suena genial. Y estoy de acuerdo con que tiene muchísimo potencial, pero, de nuevo, lo que falló para mí fue el ritmo. Me dio la sensación de que la autora utilizó el 70% de todo el libro como una gran introducción y dejó la verdadera acción para las últimas páginas. La verdad es que estoy un poco cansada de esta estrategia de dejar lo explosivo para el final. Y sí, a veces funciona que el final inesperado me dé ganas de leer el resto de la saga a pesar de lo aburrido que fue la mayoría del primer libro, pero creo que este no es el caso.
Es extraño, no tengo ninguna queja de ninguno de los personajes. Es más, me gustan. Pero siento que se pudieron haber aprovechado muchísimo más si sus caminos se hubieran cruzado mucho más rápido.
La gente me dijo que iba a encontrar “salseo” en este libro, pero la verdad es que no fue así. Es decir, sí, la autora da unas pequeñas pistas de una tensión romántica entre un par de personajes y, luego, entre otros dos, suceden unas pequeñas cosas. Pero debo confesar que (y no puedo creer que yo esté diciendo esto) el romance no me pegó para nada con la trama del libro. No lo sentí forzado, pero no hacía falta.
Y nada, las revelaciones del final son sorprendentes, pero no son suficientes como para que me anime a seguir con estos libros. Una pena. Thank you, next.
September 6, 2019
Actual rating: 2.5 (rounded down... and possibly subject to change?)
Once again, I am conflicted over a review! It took me a while to reorient myself with multiple POV’s. I am usually okay with that— different narrative voices— but this time around, it felt like too much. We have five main characters, and thus five POVs. I think that had the story been relegated between one to three, it would’ve been more appropriate; in the end, we’re left with a jumble of stories and voices, and there was not enough time given for each to establish much depth. When one character’s chapter ended, you had to wait through the other four’s sections until you got back to that initial character’s POV (most of the time, that is. Sometimes it would go back and forth between two characters for multiple chapters). This was truly frustrating, and so I too often forgot the particulars of what was going on with most of the protagonists in between their individual sections. Each MC could’ve had the entire book devoted to their own narration. And, if I’m being honest, I was really only interested in Anton and Ephyra’s POVs. They are the only characters (with the exception of Beru, who had the least page time) with enough depth to interest me. Hassan was my least favorite of the five. He is just another YA fantasy prince placeholder (and a petulant one, at that: booooooringgggg), and Jude is just... kinda dumb. I’m sorry, but he is. He is the worst person who could have been given the role of leader (although, he grew on me towards the end [a bit]). All that nonsense with Hector (a character I found so goddamn annoying), was irritating— mainly because it was just so EXPECTED and CLICHÉ!
The dialogue (and writing in general), didn’t really work for me, either. It felt entirely too commonplace. The story is very formulaic underneath the flimsy cover of world building; I noticed many elements blandly similar to other YA fantasy (overused tropes GALORE!), as well as very clichéd descriptions, passages and plot devices. It didn’t help that the entirety of the book leaned further toward the “younger” end of YA (i.e. not much swearing, light intimate content, and tame violence). I much prefer when YA veers closer to adult themes and language, without being overtly so.
There was no sense of real urgency or danger in regards to the central plot. It was there far off in the distance, looming, but not menacing. The main antagonist, The Hierophant, was just a figure in the background information (there and gone in a blink). There was only one tidbit that surprised me, which is pretty disappointing. One little twist (uninventive), but no truly shocking developments— and those that were meant to be surprising were so utterly predictable— a few times I caught myself (dare I say again?) bored. I guessed within the first 100 pages .
This was a quick read, though! For a book close to 500 pages, I thought I’d take me longer to finish, but I breezed through this. Even when I was getting bored, it still moved along briskly, which is plus. That doesn’t change the fact that nothing of import really happens until about 400 pages in!! The first 80% of the book was like one LOOOOONG prologue of trying to squeeze in these characters and their separate backstories, as well as a littering of info dumps; to finally coalesce, near the conclusion, into the main plot. Then again, it ended so abruptly, and without much resolution or coherence.
I will say that the representation here was wonderful! Now, some of the descriptions for the main characters were a bit vague and hard to interpret, but from what I gathered: four of the five are people of color, which is fantastic! For once, we have a YA fantasy novel where it’s not, like, four whitesavior main characters, and just one token POC for the diversity checklist. It feels good to see better representation. Still doesn’t make up for the fact that I only enjoyed reading 2 out of the 5 viewpoints (I would’ve said 3/5, but again, Beru was so woefully underutilized).
Between the characters and the plot, there was a serious lack of nuance in this book, and it shows. But who knows? Maybe my thoughts will change for the better come the next installment...
Once again, I am conflicted over a review! It took me a while to reorient myself with multiple POV’s. I am usually okay with that— different narrative voices— but this time around, it felt like too much. We have five main characters, and thus five POVs. I think that had the story been relegated between one to three, it would’ve been more appropriate; in the end, we’re left with a jumble of stories and voices, and there was not enough time given for each to establish much depth. When one character’s chapter ended, you had to wait through the other four’s sections until you got back to that initial character’s POV (most of the time, that is. Sometimes it would go back and forth between two characters for multiple chapters). This was truly frustrating, and so I too often forgot the particulars of what was going on with most of the protagonists in between their individual sections. Each MC could’ve had the entire book devoted to their own narration. And, if I’m being honest, I was really only interested in Anton and Ephyra’s POVs. They are the only characters (with the exception of Beru, who had the least page time) with enough depth to interest me. Hassan was my least favorite of the five. He is just another YA fantasy prince placeholder (and a petulant one, at that: booooooringgggg), and Jude is just... kinda dumb. I’m sorry, but he is. He is the worst person who could have been given the role of leader (although, he grew on me towards the end [a bit]). All that nonsense with Hector (a character I found so goddamn annoying), was irritating— mainly because it was just so EXPECTED and CLICHÉ!
The dialogue (and writing in general), didn’t really work for me, either. It felt entirely too commonplace. The story is very formulaic underneath the flimsy cover of world building; I noticed many elements blandly similar to other YA fantasy (overused tropes GALORE!), as well as very clichéd descriptions, passages and plot devices. It didn’t help that the entirety of the book leaned further toward the “younger” end of YA (i.e. not much swearing, light intimate content, and tame violence). I much prefer when YA veers closer to adult themes and language, without being overtly so.
There was no sense of real urgency or danger in regards to the central plot. It was there far off in the distance, looming, but not menacing. The main antagonist, The Hierophant, was just a figure in the background information (there and gone in a blink). There was only one tidbit that surprised me, which is pretty disappointing. One little twist (uninventive), but no truly shocking developments— and those that were meant to be surprising were so utterly predictable— a few times I caught myself (dare I say again?) bored. I guessed within the first 100 pages .
This was a quick read, though! For a book close to 500 pages, I thought I’d take me longer to finish, but I breezed through this. Even when I was getting bored, it still moved along briskly, which is plus. That doesn’t change the fact that nothing of import really happens until about 400 pages in!! The first 80% of the book was like one LOOOOONG prologue of trying to squeeze in these characters and their separate backstories, as well as a littering of info dumps; to finally coalesce, near the conclusion, into the main plot. Then again, it ended so abruptly, and without much resolution or coherence.
I will say that the representation here was wonderful! Now, some of the descriptions for the main characters were a bit vague and hard to interpret, but from what I gathered: four of the five are people of color, which is fantastic! For once, we have a YA fantasy novel where it’s not, like, four white
Between the characters and the plot, there was a serious lack of nuance in this book, and it shows. But who knows? Maybe my thoughts will change for the better come the next installment...
September 28, 2021
Y vendrá la oscuridad nos cuenta la historia de un grupo de jóvenes que se ven envueltos en una profecía apocalíptica de la que ni siquiera los expertos en el tema saben mucho, todo ello mientras se desarrollan sus respectivas historias de amor.
Pues... Mi experiencia con este libro ha sido muy similar a la que tuve con Cazadores de Sombras (no estoy comparando los libros, solo mi experiencia): habían tantas cosas que me hacían ruido, tantos personajes que me caían mal, tantas parejas sin química, que no paraba de poner los ojos en blanco e insultar a los personajes... Pero, todavía así, me acabé el 80 % del libro en menos de un día.
La verdad es que pasadas las primeras páginas toma un ritmo acelerado donde no dejan de suceder cosas capítulo tras capítulo. La autora tampoco es de explayarse mucho en los detalles, la mayor parte de las cosas están narradas por encima y eso ayuda a que sea fácil de leer. Sin embargo, me habría gustado que profundizara más en la mente de los personajes, que dejará de decir textualmente cuánto se quieren entre ellos y nos mostrara porqué se quieren tanto. No lo hizo. No llegué a comprender por qué ciertos personajes sacrificaban todo por otros, ni cómo llegaron a sentir que no había otras opciones.
La parte de «Fantasía Oscura» no la sentí por ninguna parte. Los personajes lo único que tienen de oscuros es que son tontos y toman decisiones tontas. Nada más. No hay nada de antihéroes en ellos, excepto por Ephyra; tampoco el ambiente me pareció digno de una Fantasía Oscura.
Aunque la construcción del mundo y el sistema de magia sí son buenos, sucedió igual que con el resto de cosas. Eran una buena idea con una mala ejecución. La falta de detalles hizo que no supiera encontrar la diferencia entre ciudades más allá del nombre de estas, lo único que la autora relataba para marcar las diferencias culturales eran los colores de piel de sus habitantes (? Ni siquiera mencionó, o al menos yo no lo recuerdo, que hablaran diferentes idiomas. En cuanto a la magia, no me quedó muy claro qué habilidades ortogaba cada Gracia y creo que todas esas cosas deben explicarse en un primer libro, con más motivo si dicho primer libro se las da de ser introductorio.
Por momentos llegaba a creer que estaba leyendo una novela futuristica debido a los nombres de algunos personajes. En la Fantasía los nombres son muy importantes, no puedes poner a un tipo llamado Hector Navarro junto a otros llamados Lethia, Hassan, Ephyra e Illya.
Sobre los personajes no tengo mucho que decir, je, no tuve una buena primera impresión pero sí quiero saber cómo acaba cada uno.
Le doy tres estrellas porque la idea en sí me gustó, es una idea genial con muchísimo potencial, también disfruté leerlo sin parar, pero la autora no es la mejor escribiendo y me da pena que no haya sabido explotar su idea. Igual, continuaré la saga. Leí que el problema con su publicación en español ya se ha solucionado.
Pues... Mi experiencia con este libro ha sido muy similar a la que tuve con Cazadores de Sombras (no estoy comparando los libros, solo mi experiencia): habían tantas cosas que me hacían ruido, tantos personajes que me caían mal, tantas parejas sin química, que no paraba de poner los ojos en blanco e insultar a los personajes... Pero, todavía así, me acabé el 80 % del libro en menos de un día.
La verdad es que pasadas las primeras páginas toma un ritmo acelerado donde no dejan de suceder cosas capítulo tras capítulo. La autora tampoco es de explayarse mucho en los detalles, la mayor parte de las cosas están narradas por encima y eso ayuda a que sea fácil de leer. Sin embargo, me habría gustado que profundizara más en la mente de los personajes, que dejará de decir textualmente cuánto se quieren entre ellos y nos mostrara porqué se quieren tanto. No lo hizo. No llegué a comprender por qué ciertos personajes sacrificaban todo por otros, ni cómo llegaron a sentir que no había otras opciones.
La parte de «Fantasía Oscura» no la sentí por ninguna parte. Los personajes lo único que tienen de oscuros es que son tontos y toman decisiones tontas. Nada más. No hay nada de antihéroes en ellos, excepto por Ephyra; tampoco el ambiente me pareció digno de una Fantasía Oscura.
Aunque la construcción del mundo y el sistema de magia sí son buenos, sucedió igual que con el resto de cosas. Eran una buena idea con una mala ejecución. La falta de detalles hizo que no supiera encontrar la diferencia entre ciudades más allá del nombre de estas, lo único que la autora relataba para marcar las diferencias culturales eran los colores de piel de sus habitantes (? Ni siquiera mencionó, o al menos yo no lo recuerdo, que hablaran diferentes idiomas. En cuanto a la magia, no me quedó muy claro qué habilidades ortogaba cada Gracia y creo que todas esas cosas deben explicarse en un primer libro, con más motivo si dicho primer libro se las da de ser introductorio.
Por momentos llegaba a creer que estaba leyendo una novela futuristica debido a los nombres de algunos personajes. En la Fantasía los nombres son muy importantes, no puedes poner a un tipo llamado Hector Navarro junto a otros llamados Lethia, Hassan, Ephyra e Illya.
Sobre los personajes no tengo mucho que decir, je, no tuve una buena primera impresión pero sí quiero saber cómo acaba cada uno.
Le doy tres estrellas porque la idea en sí me gustó, es una idea genial con muchísimo potencial, también disfruté leerlo sin parar, pero la autora no es la mejor escribiendo y me da pena que no haya sabido explotar su idea. Igual, continuaré la saga. Leí que el problema con su publicación en español ya se ha solucionado.
May 4, 2019
I was fortunate enough to be given an advanced copy of this fantasy debut by Katy Rose Pool.
There Will Come A Darkness is the first part of what promises to be a very popular epic fantasy series. In many ways it reminded me of Guy Gavriel Kay for the depth of the settings and cultures into which we enter, especially in how perspectives differ for each of the five main characters depending on their own backgrounds. This is a richly-developed world of magic and intrigue, with a diverse cast featuring paladins, princes, and rogues that will appeal to both fans of classic fantasy but equally to those who want to see some of those tropes balanced out with a more modern perspective on inclusion in the characters.
There Will Come A Darkness is told in an assured and polished style. Most importantly for me as a reader, though, it builds to an ending that is brilliantly conceived and will leave many readers breathless awaiting the next book in the series. This is a masterful fantasy debut and Katy Rose Pool is a writer to watch.
There Will Come A Darkness is the first part of what promises to be a very popular epic fantasy series. In many ways it reminded me of Guy Gavriel Kay for the depth of the settings and cultures into which we enter, especially in how perspectives differ for each of the five main characters depending on their own backgrounds. This is a richly-developed world of magic and intrigue, with a diverse cast featuring paladins, princes, and rogues that will appeal to both fans of classic fantasy but equally to those who want to see some of those tropes balanced out with a more modern perspective on inclusion in the characters.
There Will Come A Darkness is told in an assured and polished style. Most importantly for me as a reader, though, it builds to an ending that is brilliantly conceived and will leave many readers breathless awaiting the next book in the series. This is a masterful fantasy debut and Katy Rose Pool is a writer to watch.
Read
June 7, 2022This book is a master class in fantasy world-building!
My official review:
"A sweeping, ambitious fantasy that pulled me into a world of corruption, dark prophecy, and ultimately, hope. The breathlessly paced story and well-rendered ensemble cast gripped me until the very last pages." - Julie C. Dao, author of FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS
My official review:
"A sweeping, ambitious fantasy that pulled me into a world of corruption, dark prophecy, and ultimately, hope. The breathlessly paced story and well-rendered ensemble cast gripped me until the very last pages." - Julie C. Dao, author of FOREST OF A THOUSAND LANTERNS
August 29, 2022
3.5
“El falso engaña al mundo con mentiras,
y los impíos caen bajo la mano pálida,
lo que duerme en el polvo al fin respira
y cuando se levante vendrá la oscuridad”.
Yo vine a esta novela por rebote. No voy a negarlo. Aquí siempre por la verdad por delante. Mi última lectura no fue como me esperaba, me decepcionó bastante y me desbarataron mis planes para esta semana que se avecina la cual va a ser importantísima para mí. Por este motivo, en vez de empezar una saga que sabía que me engancharía sin lugar a dudas, decidí embarcarme en esta lectura que estaba en mi pila de “Want to read” desde hace bastante tiempo. Me dije que iba a ser una lectura tranquila que me entretendría y no más. Sin embargo, eso no fue lo que ocurrió.
“Pero nacido con la luz del cielo,
Un heredero de visión bendita,
un augurio fallido del pasado
darán brillo al futuro más sombrío”.
¿Qué paso? La respuesta es simple, como el destino es un tocapelotas me enganché. No sé si ha sido producto de mi ansiedad o la presentación de los personajes que me hizo ver esta novela con otros ojos desde los primeros capítulos. Encima, a pesar de no poder leer todo el rato, me daban más ganas de saber que pasaba, sobre todo los capítulos de Jude, Beru y creo que un poco Antón al final. El resto de personajes, Hassan y Ephyra también me interesan, pero no me gustan tanto como ellos. Yo ya he elegido a mis personajes predilectos, por ahora. No me hagas cambiar de opinión, querida autora en las siguientes entregas.
“¿Sabes lo que es sentir miedo, Jude? quiero decir miedo de verdad (…). Sientes como si te estuvieras ahogando. Y puedes dejarte hundir o puedes luchar y abrirte camino hasta la superficie. Pero, la verdad, no creo que cambie demasiado”.
Como iba diciendo creo que el punto fuerte de esta novela son los personajes, les falta un poco de desarrollo, sí, pero desde mi punto de vista están bastante bien creados y te encariñas y los comprendes al poco de conocerlos. Eso sí, luego pecan un poco de lo que llamo “enamoramiento” exprés pero no me parece tan exagerado como otras novelas que he leído.
“Puedes pensar que eres diferente, que vives siguiendo un código especial que te hace diferente. Pero todos desean algo. Incluso tú”.
Con esto no quiero decir que el libro no tenga sus fallos. Au contraire, claro que los tiene. El libro tiene un escenario un poco pobre, la idea es un poco cliché ( profecías, elegidos, salvadores, etc), los enamoramientos exprés que acabo de comentar y algunas de las escenas han sido un poco rápidas. Pero en general, desde un punto de vista argumental está bastante bien, sobre todo en este tipo de sagas-trilogías (aún no lo sé) que estructuran el argumento de tal manera que te dan la información a cuenta gotas.
“Había pasado mucho tiempo luchando para acallar sus dudas, para esconder su miedo. Pero por fin entendía que eran parte de él, igual que su Gracia. Nunca se libraría de ellos. Aunque quizá no fuera digno de él, aunque su devoción vacilara”.
Voy directa al siguiente libro porque me he encontrado hasta el tercero en español y esta es una oportunidad que no se presenta dos veces en la vida (o sí, quien sabe). Siento que el destino ha puesto estos libros aquí para que yo me los lea en este momento y cure un poco más mi ansiedad para estos días.
“La última parte por fin se revela. En visiones de Gracias y de fuego. Que vencerán a la era oscura”.
“El falso engaña al mundo con mentiras,
y los impíos caen bajo la mano pálida,
lo que duerme en el polvo al fin respira
y cuando se levante vendrá la oscuridad”.
Yo vine a esta novela por rebote. No voy a negarlo. Aquí siempre por la verdad por delante. Mi última lectura no fue como me esperaba, me decepcionó bastante y me desbarataron mis planes para esta semana que se avecina la cual va a ser importantísima para mí. Por este motivo, en vez de empezar una saga que sabía que me engancharía sin lugar a dudas, decidí embarcarme en esta lectura que estaba en mi pila de “Want to read” desde hace bastante tiempo. Me dije que iba a ser una lectura tranquila que me entretendría y no más. Sin embargo, eso no fue lo que ocurrió.
“Pero nacido con la luz del cielo,
Un heredero de visión bendita,
un augurio fallido del pasado
darán brillo al futuro más sombrío”.
¿Qué paso? La respuesta es simple, como el destino es un tocapelotas me enganché. No sé si ha sido producto de mi ansiedad o la presentación de los personajes que me hizo ver esta novela con otros ojos desde los primeros capítulos. Encima, a pesar de no poder leer todo el rato, me daban más ganas de saber que pasaba, sobre todo los capítulos de Jude, Beru y creo que un poco Antón al final. El resto de personajes, Hassan y Ephyra también me interesan, pero no me gustan tanto como ellos. Yo ya he elegido a mis personajes predilectos, por ahora. No me hagas cambiar de opinión, querida autora en las siguientes entregas.
“¿Sabes lo que es sentir miedo, Jude? quiero decir miedo de verdad (…). Sientes como si te estuvieras ahogando. Y puedes dejarte hundir o puedes luchar y abrirte camino hasta la superficie. Pero, la verdad, no creo que cambie demasiado”.
Como iba diciendo creo que el punto fuerte de esta novela son los personajes, les falta un poco de desarrollo, sí, pero desde mi punto de vista están bastante bien creados y te encariñas y los comprendes al poco de conocerlos. Eso sí, luego pecan un poco de lo que llamo “enamoramiento” exprés pero no me parece tan exagerado como otras novelas que he leído.
“Puedes pensar que eres diferente, que vives siguiendo un código especial que te hace diferente. Pero todos desean algo. Incluso tú”.
Con esto no quiero decir que el libro no tenga sus fallos. Au contraire, claro que los tiene. El libro tiene un escenario un poco pobre, la idea es un poco cliché ( profecías, elegidos, salvadores, etc), los enamoramientos exprés que acabo de comentar y algunas de las escenas han sido un poco rápidas. Pero en general, desde un punto de vista argumental está bastante bien, sobre todo en este tipo de sagas-trilogías (aún no lo sé) que estructuran el argumento de tal manera que te dan la información a cuenta gotas.
“Había pasado mucho tiempo luchando para acallar sus dudas, para esconder su miedo. Pero por fin entendía que eran parte de él, igual que su Gracia. Nunca se libraría de ellos. Aunque quizá no fuera digno de él, aunque su devoción vacilara”.
Voy directa al siguiente libro porque me he encontrado hasta el tercero en español y esta es una oportunidad que no se presenta dos veces en la vida (o sí, quien sabe). Siento que el destino ha puesto estos libros aquí para que yo me los lea en este momento y cure un poco más mi ansiedad para estos días.
“La última parte por fin se revela. En visiones de Gracias y de fuego. Que vencerán a la era oscura”.
December 30, 2019
There Will Come A Darkness
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Those twists!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Those twists!
Read
January 12, 2023A solid, very well-plotted Book 1 in a YA epic fantasy trilogy. A little rushed, but some very nice twists and turns as characters are put through the ringer, which I appreciated. No easy answers here. Also, some nice action sequences and a good sense of danger. Overall, it worked for me although I didn't feel really passionate about any of the characters.
My one quibble is I am very confused about the characters' ages and when big events in their lives happened and how old they are in the current story. It's very unclear to me and perhaps inconsistent? Also, considering the budding romance, I am extra confused about age differences. This feels a bit like one of those books that could have been adult or YA and went YA even though the characters, save one, don't feel like teenagers to me. (see: Leigh Bardugo and Pierce Brown, both authors I enjoy, but not very YA for YA. Not a complaint, just an observation.) I have some other small complaints but they're likely not worth mentioning.
I don't think this book would break your reading slump, but it was a solid way to spend a few hours.
My one quibble is I am very confused about the characters' ages and when big events in their lives happened and how old they are in the current story. It's very unclear to me and perhaps inconsistent? Also, considering the budding romance, I am extra confused about age differences. This feels a bit like one of those books that could have been adult or YA and went YA even though the characters, save one, don't feel like teenagers to me. (see: Leigh Bardugo and Pierce Brown, both authors I enjoy, but not very YA for YA. Not a complaint, just an observation.) I have some other small complaints but they're likely not worth mentioning.
I don't think this book would break your reading slump, but it was a solid way to spend a few hours.
September 3, 2019
I think when I requested this book, the only bit I knew about it was "the Age of Darkness approaches and five lives stand in its way". Because when I opened this book and started reading it, I was delightfully surprised. And hooked.
He'd been on his own since he was eleven years old, and in that time he'd traded parts of himself — dignity, virtue, a clear conscience, if he'd ever had those things — to save the whole. He hadn't balked once.
This actually feels like a more mature, and darker, version of the Falling Kingdoms series. We have multiple POVs and the main characters overlap and connect in various ways, though they aren't coupling up the way the other series did. Or at least not yet. The over arcing plot is a Big Bad who is looking to eradicate the Graced, a percentage of the population who have powers, who can channel esha (the energy of the world), to their bidding. Some have strength, some can heal, other see the future. So it's not quite GRACELING where everyone's Grace is unique, but rather that some are Graced and others.. not. And that's the big conflict. Beyond the, whole you know, Age of Darkness ending the world and all.
The Paladin were the servants of the Prophets, and they had left to protect their last secret. But what if, in leaving, they had abandoned the Prophets' subjects at the moment they'd been most needed? Were they then to blame for how hollow the City of Faith had become?
There is a secret order of people who have guarded the last big prophecy from the world, who retreated when the last Prophets left, and this prophecy pulls on the threads of fate for our main characters. Some are harbingers, some are hope, others helpless to do anything but play their roles. It's twisty and so so compelling. But the author, through her characters, challenges some of those fantasy tropes and sprinkles doubt into the minds of our characters. I felt that to be so great, so authentic, and far more interesting than the usual scope of fantasy archetypes we normally see.
"Whether or not you agree with the Witnesses, you cannot deny that you have been held back by the rules set down by the Prophets centuries ago. That the Graced will rule, and the rest of us will merely be footnotes in their stories."
I'm not sure I have favourites yet but more importantly there wasn't a single POV I disliked. I loved how the plot played out, the betrayals, the reveals, the mystery that still lies heavy over everything. Again, I hate to make the comparison because plot-wise and theme-wise they aren’t the same, but this is exactly what I wanted when I picked up the Falling Kingdoms series. And it's also diverse — there seems to be no racism or prejudice.. beyond the fact that the Witnesses and Hierophant want to eradicate the Graced. But, strangely, even his argument lends a kind of logic to it all. I won't spoil it but.. yeah, I was just really impressed with pretty much everything in this book.
I can't wait for more!
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
He'd been on his own since he was eleven years old, and in that time he'd traded parts of himself — dignity, virtue, a clear conscience, if he'd ever had those things — to save the whole. He hadn't balked once.
This actually feels like a more mature, and darker, version of the Falling Kingdoms series. We have multiple POVs and the main characters overlap and connect in various ways, though they aren't coupling up the way the other series did. Or at least not yet. The over arcing plot is a Big Bad who is looking to eradicate the Graced, a percentage of the population who have powers, who can channel esha (the energy of the world), to their bidding. Some have strength, some can heal, other see the future. So it's not quite GRACELING where everyone's Grace is unique, but rather that some are Graced and others.. not. And that's the big conflict. Beyond the, whole you know, Age of Darkness ending the world and all.
The Paladin were the servants of the Prophets, and they had left to protect their last secret. But what if, in leaving, they had abandoned the Prophets' subjects at the moment they'd been most needed? Were they then to blame for how hollow the City of Faith had become?
There is a secret order of people who have guarded the last big prophecy from the world, who retreated when the last Prophets left, and this prophecy pulls on the threads of fate for our main characters. Some are harbingers, some are hope, others helpless to do anything but play their roles. It's twisty and so so compelling. But the author, through her characters, challenges some of those fantasy tropes and sprinkles doubt into the minds of our characters. I felt that to be so great, so authentic, and far more interesting than the usual scope of fantasy archetypes we normally see.
"Whether or not you agree with the Witnesses, you cannot deny that you have been held back by the rules set down by the Prophets centuries ago. That the Graced will rule, and the rest of us will merely be footnotes in their stories."
I'm not sure I have favourites yet but more importantly there wasn't a single POV I disliked. I loved how the plot played out, the betrayals, the reveals, the mystery that still lies heavy over everything. Again, I hate to make the comparison because plot-wise and theme-wise they aren’t the same, but this is exactly what I wanted when I picked up the Falling Kingdoms series. And it's also diverse — there seems to be no racism or prejudice.. beyond the fact that the Witnesses and Hierophant want to eradicate the Graced. But, strangely, even his argument lends a kind of logic to it all. I won't spoil it but.. yeah, I was just really impressed with pretty much everything in this book.
I can't wait for more!
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
November 30, 2019
This book is a hard one for me. It was a book where when I was reading it, I enjoyed it, but could go a day or two without having to pick it up. It never called to me. That being said I had to see the story through. I liked all the characters, but didnt feel invested on them. I think part of it was there is just too much going on. I loved the plot line of Beru and Ephyra. I am a sucker for a Sister relationship and the bond that forms because of deep love. I liked Jude a lot. I identified with his doubts and fears, but doing everything to try and overcome them anyway. I think I am getting burned out of religious zealotry. That is the crux of what this book is about. In the end this book became a bit of a chore. I am glad I read it, but I don't think I will continue the series.
December 28, 2020
4,5 ⭑
Al principio me costó conectar con la historia, pero era más que nada porque me encontraba dispersa y con muchas cosas en la cabeza, así que luego de llevar 100 páginas y entender a medias (y sentir que me estaba gustando) decidí releer nuevamente lo que llevaba y fue realmente atrapante la historia, y se sintió muy bien el poder conectar con la maravillosa manera de escribir de Kate Rose Pool.
Es una historia en donde hay personajes tan diferentes entre si que te enamoras de todos, tanto los principales como los secundarios. Tienen sus debilidades e inseguridades y eso los hace muy reales. Matan, mienten y huyen convenciéndose de que sus actos está bien ya que su objetivo es mayor al daño que hacen. Me enamoré muchísimo de dos personajes que me tuvieron con el corazón en la mano hasta el final y obviamente me dejaron deseando más y los shipeo a muerte!
La ambientación es perfecta, muy bien construida y es un mundo fantástico lleno de profecías y poderes sobrenaturales llamados la gracia, las cuales no todos la poseen, y esto ha generado grandes conflictos desde que los profetas desaparecieron.
En resumen, la historia me encantó y luego de terminarlo no he podido comenzar ningún otro libro!
Resaca literaria bienvenida, hace tiempo no te veía :)
Reseña completa en el blog
Al principio me costó conectar con la historia, pero era más que nada porque me encontraba dispersa y con muchas cosas en la cabeza, así que luego de llevar 100 páginas y entender a medias (y sentir que me estaba gustando) decidí releer nuevamente lo que llevaba y fue realmente atrapante la historia, y se sintió muy bien el poder conectar con la maravillosa manera de escribir de Kate Rose Pool.
Es una historia en donde hay personajes tan diferentes entre si que te enamoras de todos, tanto los principales como los secundarios. Tienen sus debilidades e inseguridades y eso los hace muy reales. Matan, mienten y huyen convenciéndose de que sus actos está bien ya que su objetivo es mayor al daño que hacen. Me enamoré muchísimo de dos personajes que me tuvieron con el corazón en la mano hasta el final y obviamente me dejaron deseando más y los shipeo a muerte!
La ambientación es perfecta, muy bien construida y es un mundo fantástico lleno de profecías y poderes sobrenaturales llamados la gracia, las cuales no todos la poseen, y esto ha generado grandes conflictos desde que los profetas desaparecieron.
En resumen, la historia me encantó y luego de terminarlo no he podido comenzar ningún otro libro!
Resaca literaria bienvenida, hace tiempo no te veía :)
Reseña completa en el blog
September 11, 2019
Perfect for fans of:
An Ember in the Ashes,
Six of Crows,
Graceling,
Throne of Glass,
Children of Blood and Bone....
I mean, even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Similarly if you name enough hyped YA fantasy novels you're bound to snag a reader somewhere. Right?
Writing a book from hear me: FIVE POVs is as a rule just very hard to do. And if I'm being honest there was maybe an hour there in the beginning that I was thinking, "..uh..uh ..ok.. maybe she's accomplishing something here." *nods cheekily* But no. Once the story got as far as the 5 main characters' storylines necessarily converging, it felt to me as if they also began to dilute one another into something I couldn't care about.
The stakes were there, but the villain was so word-of-mouth through most of the book that they never felt like an actual threat.
There were things I could list out that I admired and appreciated, especially in as far as the writing and story structure are concerned, but in the end it just felt yet again, tropey and cliche and unmemorable and just not. special. enough.
An Ember in the Ashes,
Six of Crows,
Graceling,
Throne of Glass,
Children of Blood and Bone....
I mean, even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Similarly if you name enough hyped YA fantasy novels you're bound to snag a reader somewhere. Right?
Writing a book from hear me: FIVE POVs is as a rule just very hard to do. And if I'm being honest there was maybe an hour there in the beginning that I was thinking, "..uh..uh ..ok.. maybe she's accomplishing something here." *nods cheekily* But no. Once the story got as far as the 5 main characters' storylines necessarily converging, it felt to me as if they also began to dilute one another into something I couldn't care about.
The stakes were there, but the villain was so word-of-mouth through most of the book that they never felt like an actual threat.
There were things I could list out that I admired and appreciated, especially in as far as the writing and story structure are concerned, but in the end it just felt yet again, tropey and cliche and unmemorable and just not. special. enough.
September 29, 2019
Since the first time I saw the gorgeous cover of this book and read the blurb, I knew I had to read it and I also had this deep conviction that I would really enjoy it a lot. And I’m feeling pretty gratified right now that my assessment was spot on and this ended up being a wonderful read.
I found the world building in this book to be very well written, giving us enough information at the right times so we know what’s happening, but also maintaining an air of mystery throughout which is definitely what’s gonna make me read the next one. I loved the idea of some part of the population being Graced (have magical abilities) while the remaining being graceless, because this renders into a very natural and believable conflict. Add to this the idea of a prophecy and a final prophet (mind you, it’s been a long long while since I’ve read a fantasy with prophecies in it), a secret Order destined to protect them and an upcoming doomsday scenario, this became a very compelling read. We only get to know a bit of the history of the bygone Prophets, but I have a feeling we will get to know much more in the later books. This book is also very diverse and I was very happy to see that there didn’t seem to be any sexism or homophobia.
I was actually surprised to see that we get five POVs here, which is not an easy thing to do but the author does a brilliant job of giving each of them distinct voices and purposes. Usually there’s always the one we don’t like when there are so many characters to follow, but there is absolutely no miss here - I loved following every single one of them and badly wanted to know what was happening to each of them when we were in another person’s head. The writing is also very fast paced, there is not a single dull moment and there’s always something happening that kept me at the edge of my seat. Even when I went out to a bookstore over the weekend (while I was still just 20% into the book), I ended up finding a nice reading nook and continuing with it instead of browsing for more books; it was that irresistible to me. I also loved how many twists and turns there were; and while I was thinking too high of myself for guessing one important twist, there were so many other shocking reveals and betrayals that I couldn’t see coming and was completely blown away. I really want to commend the author for writing such a tight plot despite having multiple threads, and the way each of them intermingled with the others was just wow.
As you all know that I’m a sucker for well written characters, this book was a joy to read for me. Each of the characters is well rounded, we get to know where they are coming from, where they might be heading towards and what’s the justification behind their actions. We really get to know all of them very intimately and I loved that. And it was the way every one of them was different that I found compelling - some are driven for the sake of family, some just want to survive and others are bound by duty - but they all converge in unexpected ways and I thoroughly enjoyed the various dynamics that formed in the process.
Even the side characters are given prominent arcs which I found surprising but kudos to the author for managing to make me care about so many of them. And the villain characters are also not cliche - they have their own motivations and it was actually interesting to get to know them because for a moment, I found their arguments right too. And any author who can make me agree with both the protagonists and the villains is a force to reckon with and I can’t wait to see where these characters’ journeys take them next.
One of the themes that I seem to find very interesting these days in many fantasy novels is the idea of questioning history - how much of what we have been taught and what we have believed is the actual truth, and what part of it is just glorified propaganda by the victors. I resonate with this a lot because I think this is a compelling argument in the real world too and everyday, we realize that the adage “History is written by the victors” is very much true and it is our duty to find the actual truth.
The other most important theme in this book is the tug of war between destiny and free will. It’s impossible not to explore the concept of destiny in a story based on prophecies and I think the author did a great job showing us that sometimes, it’s more important to do the right thing, whether it is destined or not. And the choices we make define the person we become, and however noble our intentions at the beginning of our journey, it’s the ultimate path we choose that makes us who we are going to be and how we will be remembered.
There is also a bit of light thrown on the plight of refugees who have been forced to leave their home - their worry about the ones left behind, the distressing and inhumane conditions in which they are forced to live in a strange land, the violent prejudice shown by some people in the new place where they are seeking refuge and the downright apathy of the authorities - its all depicted in a very raw and realistic manner and really has stark parallels to the real world.
In the end, I want to conclude by saying that if you are a YA fantasy fan and love ensemble casts, you must read this book. It is action packed, full of twists and turns and brilliantly written characters whom you can’t help but fall in love with. Forbes called this book and The Merciful Crow some of the best YA fantasies of 2019 and I promise you, that’s absolutely true. I enjoyed the hell out of this one and I already wanna know what the author is going to come up with next - and one thing I can be sure of is that I will be rereading this before the sequel releases.
I found the world building in this book to be very well written, giving us enough information at the right times so we know what’s happening, but also maintaining an air of mystery throughout which is definitely what’s gonna make me read the next one. I loved the idea of some part of the population being Graced (have magical abilities) while the remaining being graceless, because this renders into a very natural and believable conflict. Add to this the idea of a prophecy and a final prophet (mind you, it’s been a long long while since I’ve read a fantasy with prophecies in it), a secret Order destined to protect them and an upcoming doomsday scenario, this became a very compelling read. We only get to know a bit of the history of the bygone Prophets, but I have a feeling we will get to know much more in the later books. This book is also very diverse and I was very happy to see that there didn’t seem to be any sexism or homophobia.
I was actually surprised to see that we get five POVs here, which is not an easy thing to do but the author does a brilliant job of giving each of them distinct voices and purposes. Usually there’s always the one we don’t like when there are so many characters to follow, but there is absolutely no miss here - I loved following every single one of them and badly wanted to know what was happening to each of them when we were in another person’s head. The writing is also very fast paced, there is not a single dull moment and there’s always something happening that kept me at the edge of my seat. Even when I went out to a bookstore over the weekend (while I was still just 20% into the book), I ended up finding a nice reading nook and continuing with it instead of browsing for more books; it was that irresistible to me. I also loved how many twists and turns there were; and while I was thinking too high of myself for guessing one important twist, there were so many other shocking reveals and betrayals that I couldn’t see coming and was completely blown away. I really want to commend the author for writing such a tight plot despite having multiple threads, and the way each of them intermingled with the others was just wow.
As you all know that I’m a sucker for well written characters, this book was a joy to read for me. Each of the characters is well rounded, we get to know where they are coming from, where they might be heading towards and what’s the justification behind their actions. We really get to know all of them very intimately and I loved that. And it was the way every one of them was different that I found compelling - some are driven for the sake of family, some just want to survive and others are bound by duty - but they all converge in unexpected ways and I thoroughly enjoyed the various dynamics that formed in the process.
Even the side characters are given prominent arcs which I found surprising but kudos to the author for managing to make me care about so many of them. And the villain characters are also not cliche - they have their own motivations and it was actually interesting to get to know them because for a moment, I found their arguments right too. And any author who can make me agree with both the protagonists and the villains is a force to reckon with and I can’t wait to see where these characters’ journeys take them next.
One of the themes that I seem to find very interesting these days in many fantasy novels is the idea of questioning history - how much of what we have been taught and what we have believed is the actual truth, and what part of it is just glorified propaganda by the victors. I resonate with this a lot because I think this is a compelling argument in the real world too and everyday, we realize that the adage “History is written by the victors” is very much true and it is our duty to find the actual truth.
The other most important theme in this book is the tug of war between destiny and free will. It’s impossible not to explore the concept of destiny in a story based on prophecies and I think the author did a great job showing us that sometimes, it’s more important to do the right thing, whether it is destined or not. And the choices we make define the person we become, and however noble our intentions at the beginning of our journey, it’s the ultimate path we choose that makes us who we are going to be and how we will be remembered.
There is also a bit of light thrown on the plight of refugees who have been forced to leave their home - their worry about the ones left behind, the distressing and inhumane conditions in which they are forced to live in a strange land, the violent prejudice shown by some people in the new place where they are seeking refuge and the downright apathy of the authorities - its all depicted in a very raw and realistic manner and really has stark parallels to the real world.
In the end, I want to conclude by saying that if you are a YA fantasy fan and love ensemble casts, you must read this book. It is action packed, full of twists and turns and brilliantly written characters whom you can’t help but fall in love with. Forbes called this book and The Merciful Crow some of the best YA fantasies of 2019 and I promise you, that’s absolutely true. I enjoyed the hell out of this one and I already wanna know what the author is going to come up with next - and one thing I can be sure of is that I will be rereading this before the sequel releases.
December 23, 2020
3.5!!
I'm so glad I decided to give it another try when my best friend bought it for me!
The reason why I read this for so long is not because this book is bad. It's because I read it during my finals and after so I was busy with uni work.
I actually finished it whewwww that was a ride. Tbh it's really different than what I expected but it was actually pretty good! I enjoyed it and I already got the sequel so..... yeah I'm going to read it.
I'm so glad I decided to give it another try when my best friend bought it for me!
The reason why I read this for so long is not because this book is bad. It's because I read it during my finals and after so I was busy with uni work.
I actually finished it whewwww that was a ride. Tbh it's really different than what I expected but it was actually pretty good! I enjoyed it and I already got the sequel so..... yeah I'm going to read it.
August 18, 2019
"There was nothing to be frightened of when you were the most dangerous thing that stalked the streets"
This is a 5 star book that left me 1 star sad emotionally.
*ARC acquired from Book Expo America*
SUMMARY
The Seven Prophets guided humanity until 100 years ago they suddenly disappeared. However, they left one final prophecy depicting the birth of The Last Prophet and an impending Age of Darkness. The Last Prophet would either be the key to stopping the Age of Darkness or would be the catalyst for the world's ruin. Five teenagers' lives are interconnected and they are all key players in what may be the destruction of humanity.
Our Five POVs
Ephyra: The Pale Hand, a notorious killer that takes the lives of the corrupt
Beru: Ephyra's dying sister who is losing all hope
Anton: A boy running from his haunted past (and a pretty solid gambler)
Hassan: The Crown Prince of Herat, a kingdom recently overtaken by The Witness'
Jude: The Keeper of the Word, torn between his prophetic duty and inner desires
REVIEW
I have so much love for the book and so many thoughts that I have no idea if this review will even be cohesive... but allow me to try.
There were many times in this book where I became so overwhelmed and invested in the plot that I had to physically put the book down and walk away from it for a few hours because I was reading too fast to properly comprehend all the details. It gets that intense.
All of our characters are very fleshed out, but I will say that Beru is probably the least. This is because she has the least page time and fewest POV chapters. However, knowing her plot line this makes a lot of sense and I feel as though she will be playing a much larger part in the next novel.
All of our characters are facing intense inner turmoil and it was so interesting to see how they each approached their problems. Especially since Katy Rose Pool didn't shy away from showing how sometimes the decisions you make are wrong and society is selfish at its core.
Ephyra is definitely an anti-hero that is toeing the line of becoming a villian, and Beru is a bystander that has been thrown into a battle she never wanted a part of. Jude has always been told that he is destined for great things, but he harbours so much self-doubt and hatred. Hassan feels powerless and ashamed, while Anton just wants to keep running from his past no matter the cost. All of these children are facing their own problems, but are ultimately all interconnected by a larger fate.
There were times when I favoured one POV over another, and there were moments when I became frustrated that a POV ended on a cliffhanger and switched to a completely different POV plot-line. However, it kept me constantly wanting more from the story. I never became bored with the respective story-lines and just wanted each character to succeed. It is funny because my feelings towards each of the characters at the beginning changed vastly at the end. I can state that Jude was my least favourite POV in Part I but by the end of the book he was one of my favourites and I just wanted to protect him at all costs.
The plot lines are very intricate and it is so amazing to watch the story unfold. I was constantly coming up with different theories and trying to figure out the true meaning of the Final Prophecy. Katy Rose Pool surprised me so much in all of her plot twists. There were many moments where I would audibly gasp and yell "NO WAY" or "I KNEW IT". This book is steeped in betrayal and corruption, I never knew who to trust because everyone was so morally grey! I love how Pool managed to keep me on my toes, I was constantly craving more of the story.
It does take a little while for the story to come together because it starts off with all of our POVs separated. However, once their stories start to clash and intertwine you become hooked. I loved seeing all the characters interact and even begun to ship two of them together (no spoilers but DAMN did I want two of them to kiss).
Now, I do not want to give too much away about the magic system and plot BUT I will say that it is reminiscent of The Legend of Korra and I freaking loved it. This world was so richly developed and I loved the aspect of paladins and religion. It didn't feel preachy at all and I was so intrigued by the Heirophant who was trying to rid the world of the powered Graces to make way for a society filled with just the Graceless. I also adored how there was always this impending doom of the Age of Darkness looming over the plot, it added an air of urgency to the plot and made all of the decisions that the characters made even more important.
I also want to say that we do have gay representation in this novel with one of our POVs. I thought it was interesting how the story-line was handled because this character was forbidden from having any personal attachments and you saw how their affections fueled inner turmoil. I do want to say quickly that none of the turmoil comes from the fact that they are attracted to someone of the same gender, but instead from the fact that they have romantic feelings at all.
Overall, this is an AMAZING debut that left me awe-struck and heartbroken. I can already tell that this will be a trilogy that wrecks my heart. Definitely pre-order it!
This is a 5 star book that left me 1 star sad emotionally.
*ARC acquired from Book Expo America*
SUMMARY
The Seven Prophets guided humanity until 100 years ago they suddenly disappeared. However, they left one final prophecy depicting the birth of The Last Prophet and an impending Age of Darkness. The Last Prophet would either be the key to stopping the Age of Darkness or would be the catalyst for the world's ruin. Five teenagers' lives are interconnected and they are all key players in what may be the destruction of humanity.
Our Five POVs
Ephyra: The Pale Hand, a notorious killer that takes the lives of the corrupt
Beru: Ephyra's dying sister who is losing all hope
Anton: A boy running from his haunted past (and a pretty solid gambler)
Hassan: The Crown Prince of Herat, a kingdom recently overtaken by The Witness'
Jude: The Keeper of the Word, torn between his prophetic duty and inner desires
REVIEW
I have so much love for the book and so many thoughts that I have no idea if this review will even be cohesive... but allow me to try.
There were many times in this book where I became so overwhelmed and invested in the plot that I had to physically put the book down and walk away from it for a few hours because I was reading too fast to properly comprehend all the details. It gets that intense.
All of our characters are very fleshed out, but I will say that Beru is probably the least. This is because she has the least page time and fewest POV chapters. However, knowing her plot line this makes a lot of sense and I feel as though she will be playing a much larger part in the next novel.
All of our characters are facing intense inner turmoil and it was so interesting to see how they each approached their problems. Especially since Katy Rose Pool didn't shy away from showing how sometimes the decisions you make are wrong and society is selfish at its core.
Ephyra is definitely an anti-hero that is toeing the line of becoming a villian, and Beru is a bystander that has been thrown into a battle she never wanted a part of. Jude has always been told that he is destined for great things, but he harbours so much self-doubt and hatred. Hassan feels powerless and ashamed, while Anton just wants to keep running from his past no matter the cost. All of these children are facing their own problems, but are ultimately all interconnected by a larger fate.
There were times when I favoured one POV over another, and there were moments when I became frustrated that a POV ended on a cliffhanger and switched to a completely different POV plot-line. However, it kept me constantly wanting more from the story. I never became bored with the respective story-lines and just wanted each character to succeed. It is funny because my feelings towards each of the characters at the beginning changed vastly at the end. I can state that Jude was my least favourite POV in Part I but by the end of the book he was one of my favourites and I just wanted to protect him at all costs.
The plot lines are very intricate and it is so amazing to watch the story unfold. I was constantly coming up with different theories and trying to figure out the true meaning of the Final Prophecy. Katy Rose Pool surprised me so much in all of her plot twists. There were many moments where I would audibly gasp and yell "NO WAY" or "I KNEW IT". This book is steeped in betrayal and corruption, I never knew who to trust because everyone was so morally grey! I love how Pool managed to keep me on my toes, I was constantly craving more of the story.
It does take a little while for the story to come together because it starts off with all of our POVs separated. However, once their stories start to clash and intertwine you become hooked. I loved seeing all the characters interact and even begun to ship two of them together (no spoilers but DAMN did I want two of them to kiss).
Now, I do not want to give too much away about the magic system and plot BUT I will say that it is reminiscent of The Legend of Korra and I freaking loved it. This world was so richly developed and I loved the aspect of paladins and religion. It didn't feel preachy at all and I was so intrigued by the Heirophant who was trying to rid the world of the powered Graces to make way for a society filled with just the Graceless. I also adored how there was always this impending doom of the Age of Darkness looming over the plot, it added an air of urgency to the plot and made all of the decisions that the characters made even more important.
I also want to say that we do have gay representation in this novel with one of our POVs. I thought it was interesting how the story-line was handled because this character was forbidden from having any personal attachments and you saw how their affections fueled inner turmoil. I do want to say quickly that none of the turmoil comes from the fact that they are attracted to someone of the same gender, but instead from the fact that they have romantic feelings at all.
Overall, this is an AMAZING debut that left me awe-struck and heartbroken. I can already tell that this will be a trilogy that wrecks my heart. Definitely pre-order it!
September 19, 2019
Overall this book was good and entertaining, but nothing about it made me love it. Maybe it’s just my memory, but some characters felt flat and underdeveloped and weren’t memorable at all. The plot was unique and somewhat interesting, but even that fell a little flat in the end. Again, the book was entertaining and fun to read, but I probably won’t be reaching to reread it.
Shelved as 'owned-tbr'
August 19, 2019SIX OF CROWS MEETS GRACELING
August 15, 2020
After finishing TWCaD last night, I debated how to rate it and have finally settled on 3.5 stars for Katy Rose Pool's YA debut.
Surprisingly, after finishing the Shadow and Bone trilogy last month, I chose to read this multi-character 3rd person PoV book before diving into Six of Crows (this definitely does not have anything to do with the fact that I left my SoC duology at my parents' house across the country…).
The Age of Darkness approaches, and five lives are set on a trajectory on which they will ultimately collide to either save the world - or destroy it. Their stories converge against the backdrop of the rise of a radical group with a mysterious leader determined to purge the land of all magic.
It took me about 200 or so pages to feel truly invested in TWCaD, but don't let that scare you; Pool handles the PoV jumps well, which keeps the five storylines engaging as you get to know the characters leading up to the action. Each time two or more of our heroes came together, I was practically cheering - who doesn't love when their faves collide on page?
From his first PoV chapter, sarcastic, fragile, lovable Anton stole my heart, a beautiful cinnamon roll too good, too pure for this world. However, each MC's unique personality and circumstances mean you can't go wrong choosing any one of them as your favorite. And if you're a AtLA/LoK fan this story's main villain, The Hierophant, is definitely for you.
The world of the Pelagos is based on ancient societies of the Mediterranean, a refreshing setting which Pool uses to create interesting and distinct cultures and characters.
However, with this diverse foundation of ancient civilizations to pull from, I found it surprising that Pool did not give our MCs and their cultures their own distinct languages. This isn't to say that I wanted her to create brand new languages, but it would have enriched the worldbuilding if from Jude's PoV, for example, Hassan had a Herati (Egyptian) accent, and Anton had a Novogardian (Russian) accent. Or, she could have specified that Hassan spoke Herati with Khepri, but switched to Pallasian (Greek) with Jude.
Also, this world had trains, which confused me as none of their other technology seemed nearly as advanced?
Pool's writing had its novice moments, with some phrases coming off as anachronistic in a fantasy world based on antiquity; however, there were definitely moments that pulled at my heartstrings, and I'm looking forward to seeing how she progresses as a writer in this series and beyond.
Spoiler-filled thoughts continued below...
Surprisingly, after finishing the Shadow and Bone trilogy last month, I chose to read this multi-character 3rd person PoV book before diving into Six of Crows (this definitely does not have anything to do with the fact that I left my SoC duology at my parents' house across the country…).
The Age of Darkness approaches, and five lives are set on a trajectory on which they will ultimately collide to either save the world - or destroy it. Their stories converge against the backdrop of the rise of a radical group with a mysterious leader determined to purge the land of all magic.
It took me about 200 or so pages to feel truly invested in TWCaD, but don't let that scare you; Pool handles the PoV jumps well, which keeps the five storylines engaging as you get to know the characters leading up to the action. Each time two or more of our heroes came together, I was practically cheering - who doesn't love when their faves collide on page?
From his first PoV chapter, sarcastic, fragile, lovable Anton stole my heart, a beautiful cinnamon roll too good, too pure for this world. However, each MC's unique personality and circumstances mean you can't go wrong choosing any one of them as your favorite. And if you're a AtLA/LoK fan this story's main villain, The Hierophant, is definitely for you.
The world of the Pelagos is based on ancient societies of the Mediterranean, a refreshing setting which Pool uses to create interesting and distinct cultures and characters.
However, with this diverse foundation of ancient civilizations to pull from, I found it surprising that Pool did not give our MCs and their cultures their own distinct languages. This isn't to say that I wanted her to create brand new languages, but it would have enriched the worldbuilding if from Jude's PoV, for example, Hassan had a Herati (Egyptian) accent, and Anton had a Novogardian (Russian) accent. Or, she could have specified that Hassan spoke Herati with Khepri, but switched to Pallasian (Greek) with Jude.
Also, this world had trains, which confused me as none of their other technology seemed nearly as advanced?
Pool's writing had its novice moments, with some phrases coming off as anachronistic in a fantasy world based on antiquity; however, there were definitely moments that pulled at my heartstrings, and I'm looking forward to seeing how she progresses as a writer in this series and beyond.
Spoiler-filled thoughts continued below...
October 22, 2019
Para los amantes como yo de la fantasía este libro es para vosotros. Qué maravilla de lectura de principio a fin, me he visto irremediablemente enganchada a la historia de cada uno de los personajes, porque son cinco los protagonistas, ni uno me ha gustado menos que el otro. Además la ambientación me ha encantado, la autora coge países de la antigüedad como puede ser Egipto y lo transforma, lo envuelve y hace que todo encaje. Trama adictiva, personajes fantásticos, giros únicos... un libro que mantiene al lector pegado a sus páginas y no decepciona. Ahora estoy deseando leer el segundo.
Want to read
June 8, 2019this sounds so fucking good and I’m here for all of it.
August 14, 2019
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Nathalie DeFelice
Stories with multiple points of view can often be disorienting and hard to get through because the storytelling can feel choppy and skewed to a specific character. That is not the case in There Will Come A Darkness by Katy Rose Pool. She cultivates this stunning world with an impending age of darkness, and characters who will collide in all sorts of ways to save it, or bring about the destruction. I’ve never felt such an impending doom, or been so excited for the conflict that is to come as I have been in this book. I felt like the story played out like an intricate game of chess, and as each character moved, you could see the resulting consequences of their actions. There’s plenty more I will say later, but for now let’s get into what this story is about. A quick warning before we continue, this story does have some traumatic events, so if you are easily triggered by themes of assault, death, or torture, this might be a story to approach with caution.
In There Will Come a Darkness, seven Prophets guided and united humanity, leaving it free from wars until 100 years ago, when they disappeared. At the time of their disappearance they left one last prophecy, one that tells of an Age of Darkness to come, and a new Prophet who could save it, or bring the world to ruin. With chaos taking hold, five people are destined to cross paths in potentially disastrous ways: a prince exiled from his kingdom, an assassin known as the Pale Hand, a faithful leader torn between duty to the people versus his heart, a gambler with the power to find anyone or anything, and finally, a dying girl who’s ready to give up. One or all of them could bring about the destruction to their world, the question is, what will they choose?
The five main characters in this story are Ephyra, Hassan, Jude, Anton, and Beru. We begin in Ephyra’s point of view, and for me was both a brutal and satisfying first scene (as someone who is not easily triggered by assault, death, or torture…at least in books). I’m not sure if I can disclose who exactly these characters are, so in fear of spoiling it, I won’t. What I can tell you is that most of these characters have gone through, or are currently going through some sort of trauma. It’s terrifying, and you get to see how these traumas and happenings are shaping these characters in good or potentially bad ways. It makes the clashes between characters all the more complex and dramatic. The further you go into the story, the more layers you’ll have to unpack, and you may not have all of the pieces of the puzzle.
All of these characters display in incredible amount of growth, but this felt especially true for Hassan and Beru. I’ll admit that my favourite character was Anton though. Of all the characters, he put up this strong facade, but was ultimately the most vulnerable. Jude and Ephyra were the ones that frustrated me the most, if only because some of the choices they made were questionable, but definitely had or will have consequences in the future. On the other side of it, that’s what I loved so much about it. It’s all about the choices here. The characters are making moves that may not have an effect upon the current storyline, but somewhere down the line, there is a consequence for their actions.
Some characters that you’ll certainly love to hate in this story are the antagonists. They are just as complex as the characters that I had almost missed them…until I wound up with a knife in the ribs. They’re masters of deception, and will break your heart in all kinds of ways, leaving you with a monster of a grudge. There was one particular character I loathed, and it’s because of the psychological trauma they put another character through.
You’ll find some romance in this book, a slow ember that will eventually become a roaring blaze. I felt that it was well cultivated and diverse, and I can’t wait to see it continue to grow in the next book. The magic system was so cool, I liked the idea of being graced and of esha. It was interesting, and I felt it was adequately described. The pacing was moderate, and I think it was perfect for the book. If it was any faster, readers might miss something that could be incredibly important to the story.
There’s no doubt in my mind that this story is a 10/10. The world building is spectacular and it’s a perfect stormy night or fall time read. It’s a harrowing journey of a cast of characters that may or may not survive until the end, but they’re damn sure going to try. I cannot wait for the sequel, because we’re building up to some epic conflict! Please check it out if you have the opportunity!
Stories with multiple points of view can often be disorienting and hard to get through because the storytelling can feel choppy and skewed to a specific character. That is not the case in There Will Come A Darkness by Katy Rose Pool. She cultivates this stunning world with an impending age of darkness, and characters who will collide in all sorts of ways to save it, or bring about the destruction. I’ve never felt such an impending doom, or been so excited for the conflict that is to come as I have been in this book. I felt like the story played out like an intricate game of chess, and as each character moved, you could see the resulting consequences of their actions. There’s plenty more I will say later, but for now let’s get into what this story is about. A quick warning before we continue, this story does have some traumatic events, so if you are easily triggered by themes of assault, death, or torture, this might be a story to approach with caution.
In There Will Come a Darkness, seven Prophets guided and united humanity, leaving it free from wars until 100 years ago, when they disappeared. At the time of their disappearance they left one last prophecy, one that tells of an Age of Darkness to come, and a new Prophet who could save it, or bring the world to ruin. With chaos taking hold, five people are destined to cross paths in potentially disastrous ways: a prince exiled from his kingdom, an assassin known as the Pale Hand, a faithful leader torn between duty to the people versus his heart, a gambler with the power to find anyone or anything, and finally, a dying girl who’s ready to give up. One or all of them could bring about the destruction to their world, the question is, what will they choose?
The five main characters in this story are Ephyra, Hassan, Jude, Anton, and Beru. We begin in Ephyra’s point of view, and for me was both a brutal and satisfying first scene (as someone who is not easily triggered by assault, death, or torture…at least in books). I’m not sure if I can disclose who exactly these characters are, so in fear of spoiling it, I won’t. What I can tell you is that most of these characters have gone through, or are currently going through some sort of trauma. It’s terrifying, and you get to see how these traumas and happenings are shaping these characters in good or potentially bad ways. It makes the clashes between characters all the more complex and dramatic. The further you go into the story, the more layers you’ll have to unpack, and you may not have all of the pieces of the puzzle.
All of these characters display in incredible amount of growth, but this felt especially true for Hassan and Beru. I’ll admit that my favourite character was Anton though. Of all the characters, he put up this strong facade, but was ultimately the most vulnerable. Jude and Ephyra were the ones that frustrated me the most, if only because some of the choices they made were questionable, but definitely had or will have consequences in the future. On the other side of it, that’s what I loved so much about it. It’s all about the choices here. The characters are making moves that may not have an effect upon the current storyline, but somewhere down the line, there is a consequence for their actions.
Some characters that you’ll certainly love to hate in this story are the antagonists. They are just as complex as the characters that I had almost missed them…until I wound up with a knife in the ribs. They’re masters of deception, and will break your heart in all kinds of ways, leaving you with a monster of a grudge. There was one particular character I loathed, and it’s because of the psychological trauma they put another character through.
You’ll find some romance in this book, a slow ember that will eventually become a roaring blaze. I felt that it was well cultivated and diverse, and I can’t wait to see it continue to grow in the next book. The magic system was so cool, I liked the idea of being graced and of esha. It was interesting, and I felt it was adequately described. The pacing was moderate, and I think it was perfect for the book. If it was any faster, readers might miss something that could be incredibly important to the story.
There’s no doubt in my mind that this story is a 10/10. The world building is spectacular and it’s a perfect stormy night or fall time read. It’s a harrowing journey of a cast of characters that may or may not survive until the end, but they’re damn sure going to try. I cannot wait for the sequel, because we’re building up to some epic conflict! Please check it out if you have the opportunity!
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